Orthopedic exercising cycle



June 1, 1954 D. G. SBARRA 2,680,021

ORTHOPEDIC EXERCISING CYCLE Filed July 8, 1952 I I INVENTOR. 6. flomznzc @Sbarra.

BY I. 35 77Z- /7ZW 5W4 as Patented June 1, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,680,021 ORTHOPEDIC EXERQISING CYCLE 7 Dominic G. Sbarra, Ossining, N. Y.

Application July 8, 1952, Serial No. 297,622

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to exercising apparatus, and more particularly to an improved orthopedic exercising device of the bicycle type. The main object of the invention is to provide anovel and improved exercising apparatus of the bicycle type which is operable by a person when seated thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved orthopedic exercising apparatus of the bicycle type which is simple in construction, which may be readily adjusted to provide a desired resistance to rotation of the driven bicycle wheel thereof, and which is durable in construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of an improved orthopedic exercising apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear end elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal cross sectional detail view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated exercising device is designated generally I l and comprises a rectangular base member l2 to which is secured an upstanding frame having the down wardly divergent rear legs l3, l3 respectively secured to the opposite end portions of the base l2, said frame including the upwardly convergent tubular frame elements l4, [4, to the top ends of which is secured the seat 15, said seat being mounted on a tubular, downwardly and forwardly inclined frame element It with which the upwardly convergent frame elements l4, l4 merge, as shown in Figure 2. Journaled in the lower rear portion of the frame between the members l3, I3 is the bicycle wheel [1. The forward portion of the frame comprises the upwardly and forwardly inclined elements l8 and I!) which are rigidly connected to the vertical sleeve member 20. Designated at 2! is a generally Y-shaped foot member having the relatively long leg 22 connected to the lower frame element I9 adjacent the sleeve and having the relatively short arm 23 connected to the arm H) at its intermediate portion, as shown in Figure 1. The lower end of the leg member 22 terminates in the floor-engaging cushioned foot 24. Journaled to the intermediate portion of the frame in. a conventional manner is the sprocket 25 which is coupled by a sprocket chain to a conventional, smaller sprocket carried by the wheel I1, whereby the wheel may be rotated by rotating the sprocket 25. The sprocket 25 is provided with the respective cranks 26, 26, and rotatably mounted on the end of each crank 26 is a pedal 21, said pedal being journaled on an arm 28 extending at right angles to and rigid with the crank 26, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Each pedal 21 is formed with the upwardly extending peripheral flange elements 29, said flange elements being located at the 0pposite ends of the pedals and being arranged to receive the heel of the users foot from either end, as for example, either from a position wherein the operator is supported on the seat [5, or from a position wherein the operator is seated in a wheel chair or the like in front of the machine. Secured to the intermediate portions of the side edges of the pedals 21 are the respective securing strap members 30 and 3| enabling the user of the apparatus to fasten his feet securely to the pedals 21.

Designated at 32 is a transverse handle bar which is secured on a depending mounting bar 33 received in and adjustably secured in the sleeve element 20. The handle bar 32 is provided at its ends with the grip elements 34, 34 extending at right angles to the main body portion of the handle bar, and the handle bar 32 may be secured either in a position wherein the grip elements 34, 34 are directed toward the seat l5, or in a position wherein said handle elements 34, 34 extend forwardly from the apparatus, as shown in dotted view in Figure l. The supporting bar 33 may be secured in any suitable manner in the sleeve element 20, as by means of a conventional set screw or the like.

Designated at 35 is a yoke member located below the seat 15 and above the peripheral portion of the wheel I1, the arms of said yoke member being swingably secured to the frame elements l4, M, as by the link bars 36, 36 shown in Figure 4. J ournaled between the arms of the yoke member 35 is the friction roller 31 which is engageable with the peripheral portion of the wheel H, as shown in Figure 4. The yoke member 35 is biased toward the periphery of the wheel H by a coiled spring 38 which surrounds a threaded rod 39 having a squared portion keyed in and slidably extending through the bight portion of the yoke member 35, said rod being provided with an integral collar 40 bearing on the end of the spring 38, as shown in Figure 4. Secured to the forwardly and downwardly inclined frame element [6 is a bracket member 4| which rotatably receives the reduced forward end portion 42 of a tensioning nut 4-3, said tensioning nut 43 being formed with an internally threaded sleeve porticn 44 which is threadedly engaged on the rod 39, the sleeve portion 44 being rotatable around the axis of the reduced bearing portion 42 to advance or retract the rod 39 relative to the bight portion of the yoke member 35, thus varying the tensioning force applied to the spring 38. The tensioning nut 43 is readily accessible either from above, as where the user is mounted on the seat 15, or from in front of the apparatus, as where the user is seated in a wheel chair on front of the apparatus. The degree of resistance to rotation of the wheel i! may thus be readily adjusted from either position of use of the machine. g In using the device, the operator may be mounted in the seat l5 with his feet secured in the pedals 27, as above described, and with his hands grasping the handle elements 34, 34. By reaching downwardly and rotating the tensioning nut 43, the degree of resistance to pedalling may be readily regulated by the operator in this position. Alternatively, the user of the device may be seated in a wheel chair or in any other type of chair in front of the apparatus with his legs'extending on opposite sides of the Y-shaped leg element 2| and with his feet secured in the pedals 2T, 21. The handle bar 32 will then be in a position with the grip elements 34, 34 extending forwardly, enabling the operator of the apparatus to grasp said handle bar elements 3 8, 34, while operating the pedals 27, 21. In this latter position of use, the degree of resistance to rotation of the wheel I? may be readily adjusted by reaching forwardly and rotating the tensiom'ng nut 23.

While a specific embodiment of an improved orthopedic exercising apparatus has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An exercising apparatus comprising a base, an upstanding frame having a depending rear portion secured to said base, a wheel journaled on said rear portion above said base, a seat mounted on the upper end of said rear portion, a sprocket rotatably mounted on said frame forwardly of and below said seat, a sprocket chain coupling said sprocket to said wheel, cranks secured to opposite sides of the sprocket, pedals secured on said cranks, a depending leg element rigidly secured to the forward end of the frame and adapted to supportingly engage the floor forwardly of the pedals, a yoke swingably secured to said rear portion of the frame below the seat and adjacent to the upper peripheral portion of the wheel, said yoke having spaced arms, a roller journaled in the arms of said yoke member and engageable with said peripheral portion of the Wheel, and adjustable spring means mounted on said frame and biasing said yoke member and roller toward said peripheral portion, said lastnamed means comprising a coiled spring engaging a portion of the yoke, a flanged bolt extending through said spring and the bight portion and engaging an end of the spring, and a shouldered sleeve rotatably mounted on the frame and threadedly engaging said bolt.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 158,675 Longfellow May 23, 1950 553,373 Webber Jan. 21, 1896 589,705 Dwyer Sept. 7, 1897 593,105 Kingsbury Nov. 2, 1897 1,744,607 Baine Jan. 21, 1930 2,043,977 Back June 16, 1936 2,198,058 Mobeok Apr. 23, 1940 2,261,846 Dollinger Nov. 4, 1941 

